There are a wide variety of orthoses available worldwide, with each orthosis having its own particular features to improve the comfort of a user and/or to aid in supporting a body part to which the orthosis is applied.
A number of generic problems tend to be experienced by orthoses users, and solutions to resolve some such problems are typically simplistic and may not fully address those problems for the longer term. For example, a central problem with orthoses derives from the fact that weight-bearing areas tend to experience increases in pressure, associated discomfort, and sometimes, tissue damage and/or bruising.
A number of orthoses have been used in the treatment and/or prevention of pressure ulcers, particularly pressure ulcers occurring on or around the heel and/or ankle. One of the more commonly used devices is a gel block which is placed under the Achilles tendon of a subject lying supine on a surface, such as a bed or operating theatre table. Examples of these gel blocks include the Action® Heel Support Model 40502 by Action Products, Inc., the Oasis Elite™ Heel Pad by the Trulife® Group and the AliGel™ Heel Cup by AliMed Inc.
While these (and other, like) gel blocks can support a subject's lower limb so that those areas which typically develop pressure ulcers in the region of, for example, the lateral malleolus and the calcaneus, they can create a number of other issues. For example, because the subject's lower limb may be immobile and therefore weight-bearing on the gel cushion for a prolonged period, such as, for example, during an operative procedure, an undesirable amount of pressure can be applied to the anatomical region adjacent or surrounding the Achilles tendon.
Also, placing an object, such as a block, under the Achilles tendon when a subject is supine on a surface can cause the knee to hyperextend. It is believed by the present inventors that hyperextension of the knee results in popliteal vein compression which may give rise to deep vein thrombosis.
The present inventors have now developed an improved orthosis.